Monday, July 09, 2007

Test Results Back


walking home, originally uploaded by emdot.

Test Results Back: gallstone disease.

Disease? Disease? It's just so weird to hear that word associated with oneself.

I did some research over the weekend, and here is a really interesting tidbit that I learned about the commonness of gallstone disease:

  • the mean prevalence of most demographics is about 3 - 15%
  • the mean prevalence in Mexican-American women is 27%
  • the mean prevalence in Native American women from the Pima tribe is 73%

I'm half Mexican. My father's family is from the Gila River Valley, where the Pima Indians are from. My mom is pretty sure that my dad's dad has some Pima blood in him.

Who knew?!

On top of that, I eat a pretty fatty diet. Cheese is my staple. And my paper. And my ink.

I've only had cheese once since this happened, and that once was a total slip of my better judgment and caused another (albeit much much "easier") attack.

The lack of cheese has left me ink-, paper-, and staple-less. What to eat has totally stumped me, despite the fact that of course I know about lowfat foods and yadda yadda yadda. I just am a little slow as to how to bring them permanently (and immediately) into my life.

So, I've been researching (yea for library article databases!). Reaching out to people who might have good advice. And scouring the shelves of booksellers. And slowly I've been figuring it out.

Next step: meet with my doctor tonight for more indepth going-over of my test results and probably talking about options....

3 comments:

Unknown said...

This gal bladder stuff sucks. My wife had to have hers removed. The pain became unbearable.

Best wishes on better health.
Todd

emdot said...

thanks tojosan. i really appreciate hearing about other people who've been through this....

meeralee said...

Oh no, you sweetie. I can't imagine having to give up cheese for any reason, let alone a painful one; my heart goes right out to you. :-( Good luck making the changes you have to make!